Alnico 2 pro help

[Mid Life Crisis]

Just put at set of Alnico 2 pros in my Ibanez AS73. First experience I've had with these pickups.

It's always hard purchasing pickups off of descriptions and Tone charts, but by all accounts these seemed to be a very warm pickup which is what I wanted, I was actually a bit afraid in a semi hollow they might be to muddy. So far my experience has been the opposite. Wonderful sounding pickups except on the bridge the highs don't seem very round to me at all, actually a bit brittle or ice pick sounding. To the point where if I play anything on the high E string over the tenth fret at a comfortably loud volume it can be physically annoying.

Now I've never had this with other bridge Duncans I own, '59, JB, Custom 5, Screaming Demon (those have all been in solidbody guitars) but comparing tone charts etc I was expecting a more mellow high end. This is why I am surprised. Did I misunderstand something about this set of pickups? Love the neck BTW, it to has more high end then expected, but it works in the neck. Almost like a single coil.

Short of playing with my tone knob on 4 , or adjusting my signal chain to round of the highs, which I don't want to do that as that takes away to much when playing on the neck.....any ideas? I know you guys do

I'm considering the Custom Custom as the SD page says that matches with the 2 neck, I realize a much higher output (which I'm fine with) and I assume some compression. Description claims fatter treble than any other pickup...but then descriptions would leave me to believe the Alnico 2 pro has a fatter high end then other Duncans I've tried.

How much do you think my guitar plays in this? Mahogany semi hollow. 500k pots. Trying to get my head around which direction to go next.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

Custom Custom is a good idea, it will be fuller and less ice picky. The issue is the low output of the A2P in bridge position. People like to make up stories about how low output can be good or even better because it's "voiced" well, it doesn't "compress", and it's "articulate", when all it does is make the thing shrill. People will probably be along to correct me.

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

I found APH-1 bridge is a lot brighter than the neck version.

For the Ibanez with Mahogany body, I would try two things:
1) Wire in a parallel load resistor of around 750k to 1M ohm for the bridge pickup only.
2) Raise the pickup close to the strings.

For my guitar with APH-1 neck I ended up matching it with a Dimarzio Fred, which has a bigger sound with full mids.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

It's not that the bridge model is brighter than the neck, it's the physical position that makes it sound brighter. Low wind pups are usually bright in the bridge. Some people like it, some don't.

 

[Mid Life Crisis]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

Custom Custom is a good idea, it will be fuller and less ice picky. The issue is the low output of the A2P in bridge position. People like to make up stories about how low output can be good or even better because it's "voiced" well, it doesn't "compress", and it's "articulate", when all it does is make the thing shrill. People will probably be along to correct me.

Those are my findings. It sure is articulate, and for a dark clean tone pretty cool. A bit more dirt and I get the shrill.

I found APH-1 bridge is a lot brighter than the neck version.

For the Ibanez with Mahogany body, I would try two things:
1) Wire in a parallel load resistor of around 750k to 1M ohm for the bridge pickup only.
2) Raise the pickup close to the strings.

For my guitar with APH-1 neck I ended up matching it with a Dimarzio Fred, which has a bigger sound with full mids.

I adjusted closer to the strings and that seemed to help with a little hotter signal. Hadn't thought about the resistor, would that be pretty drastic or just fine tuning?

It's not that the bridge model is brighter than the neck, it's the physical position that makes it sound brighter. Low wind pups are usually bright in the bridge. Some people like it, some don't.

Indeed, which is why I like it in the neck. Seems I'm one who doesn't like it so much in the bridge.
I'm just a bit surprised as I didn't think it was that much lower output than a '59, but I'm learning there to

 

[Mincer]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

The AH-1 is awesome in a semi-hollow. The bridge position is wonderful, too. I'd opt for that over the CC, and the CC is one of my favorite pickups in a solidbody. I never tried one in a semi-hollowbody, just because I like lower output pickups in them, not that there is anything inherently wrong with putting one in there.

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

I adjusted closer to the strings and that seemed to help with a little hotter signal. Hadn't thought about the resistor, would that be pretty drastic or just fine tuning?

Resistor mod is not too drastic - its similar to a tone control adjustment. 510k resistor would be more drastic, while a 1Meg ohm is more like "tuning", and 750k is sort of a middle ground between the two.
I feel it helps smooth out the pickup's resonance so it allows the pickup to be moved closer to the string without getting too edgy or aggressive sounding.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

A 250K pot would soften that bright high end.

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

A 59/Custom Hybrid with an A2 Magnet will likely get you the tone you are after... the CC will have quite a bit more compression than the Alnico 2 Pro Bridge... the Hybrid will balance the respective output levels while retaining the vintage response along with some added body and smooth/clear highs.

 

[SJ318]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

I think BachToRock nailed it pretty good.
Maybe screw the bridge screws in so they are close to flush with the p'up cover if you use one, and raise the p'up so the slug side is much closer than it is now.
Buff

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Alnico 2 pro help

Before spending more money on another pup, you might try using a 250k vol pot for your bridge pup and lower the screws just below the level of the slugs and raise the pup closer to the strings. That may be all you need.

The hybrid with an A2 is also a reasonable choice if you're really itching to spend more money. The CC is not one of my personal favorites but it may work for you. However, I think that it may be overkill and may not fit well with the A2P in the neck.